"It started in 1988 with 17 consecutive losses.

The Miami Heat have been playing catch-up ever since.

Tuesday, the Heat caught up.

For the first time in the franchise's 24 seasons, the Heat are a .500 team.

For some franchises, such an accomplishment would be reduced to mundane trivia. It took the Orlando Magic, for example, only two games at their 1989 inception to reach .500 and three to move above.

For the Heat, it is a climb now in its third decade, .500 reached for the first time when Tuesday's 105-90 victory over the Indiana Pacers lifted them to 942-942 all-time in the regular season. A victory Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers to conclude this six-game trip would, of course, put them above .500 for the first time."